African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (9), pp. 1087-1094, 2 May 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Alteration of post harvest diseases of mango Mangifera indica through production practices and climatic factors

P. M. Diedhiou¹*, N. Mbaye² A. Dramé¹ and P. I. Samb²

¹Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Agriculture km 7 route de Khombole, BP A296 THIES-Sénégal.

²Département de Biologie Végétale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, BP 5005 Dakar Fann, Sénégal.

*Corresponding Author's E-Mail: bilpaco@yahoo.de.  Tel: +221 9395926. Fax: +221 9511551.

Accepted 19 January, 2007

Mango production in Senegal takes place over the two seasons of dry and humid conditions between April and November. The increasing demand for fresh mangoes has led to an increase in land area allocated to that crop. Mango production suffers, however, from fruit rotting due to post-harvest diseases during ripening. These diseases reduce the fruit quality and cause severe losses. A survey was carried out in 2004 to detect fungi involved in post-harvest rot of mangoes (cv. Kent) produced in the Niayes area of Senegal in relation with the production practices and the climatic conditions. The results showed that at first harvest during the dry season, a broader species range of fungi including Alternaria sp., Botryodiplodia theobromae, Dothiorella sp., Aspergillus niger and non-identified fungi were responsible for mango rotting. The fruits harvested during the humid season, however, were more heavily infested but a smaller number of fungal agents were involved; Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and secondarily Phoma mangiferae played the main role. The cultural practices played an important role on mango infection whereby orchard sanitation and particularly cleaning and pruning reduced the infection rates. Orchards with no care, in contrast, yielded the most heavily infested mango samples. In addition, the harvest practice of inversion of fruits in soil for sap elimination increases contamination with pathogenic fungi.

Key words: Climatic conditions, cultural practices, interactions, mango, post harvest diseases.